China Tour, China Tours, Chinatour, Trekking tour.

map Shanghai Huangshan Guilin Kunming Lijiang Zhongdian South China Yunnan

Travel from the hectic economic centre Shanghai to the far mountain area Zhongdian, the famous Shangri-la land, from the lovely karst landscape to the wild Tiger Leap Gorge in the high mountains at the headwater of the Yangtse. You will see the famous Huang Shan, which belongs to the World Nature Heritage and experience the undescribable sunrise there. Beautiful landscapes, old cities and unfamiliar cultures compensate for sometimes slightly exhausting walking tours.

Arrival in Shanghai Pudong International Airport. Greetings by your tour guide and transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is at your disposal.

In the morning, go by public-transit bus to the Huaihai Road in the quondam French concession, today it is one of the two famous shopping streets of Shanghai. Then stroll through the Xintiandi District, which is affected by the local architecture of the “Shikumen“, a dwelling house type, that is characteristic of Shanghai. The new attraction arose, when the fusty, high-density and partly ramshackle housing area was mixed up and the old dwelling houses were converted into multifunctional eating places, sales rooms, boutiques, bars and coffeehouses that meet international standards. Afterwards go by underground to the People’s Square, which is the political and cultural centre of Shanghai with the art museum in its middle and it is a green island of repose amid the hectic city. Then stroll up the Nanjing Lu to the Bund, the legendary street along the Huangpu River with its European colonial architecture, where you can get a beautiful view of the skyline of the modern district Pudong at the other side of the river. In the late afternoon, go to the airport by bus and fly to Huangshan. After the arrival, transfer to the hotel.

After breakfast, go to the base of the Huangshan Mountain by bus. Go up the mountain by cable car to an altitude of about 1000 m. Thanks to its scenic beauty, Huangshan is known as “China’s loveliest mountain” in the Chinese painting and literature, which developed its own style – the Shanshui-Still – in the middle of the 16th century, to delineate and praise this region. Due to the enormous significance of the mountain in the Chinese history and culture as well as its importance as a sanctuary for numerous plants and animals threatened with extinction, this region is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Till today, the fascination, which this landscape exerts on visitors, poets, painters, photographers and palmers, remains strong. The mountain bears its name – Imperial Mountain - the actual meaning of the name, deservedly so. During a walking tour in the mountains you will find numerous views, which will enhance the fame of the mountain. Overnight stay in a hotel at Huangshan.

You should get up early today(in summer at about half past four), because Huangshan is famous for its sunrise. If you are lucky, you can experience a breath-taking scenery. After breakfast, return to the base of the mountain by cable car. Afterwards go to Xidi by bus. The Xidi village is - as well as its neighbour Hongcun village– a typical example of a housing estate, which developed in the 15th to 17th century and which resulted from a prospering trade. The architecture, the roads, the interior decoration of the houses and the design of the ambient landscape (for example, by the use of hydraulic engineering measures) are still well preserved and illustrate the socio economic circumstances of this feudal epoch of China till today in an excellent manner. That is the reason why these two villages are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In the afternoon, transfer to the train station and go to Guilin by train in a first class sleeping wagon.

Arrival in Guilin at about 14 o'clock. After the transfer to the hotel, you will visit the Fubo Hill in the centre of the city, where you can get a beautiful view of Guilin and the surrounding hills.

Transfer by car to the wharf outside the city in the morning. Go for a cruise on the picturesque Li River through the bizarre karst hill landscape to Yangshuo. It will last for about 4 hours. Have lunch on the ship. After the arrival in Yangshuo, go to your hotel on foot within a few minutes. The rest of the day is at your disposal. You can explore the impressing karst landscape by bicycle or make a round trip by electrical minibus through the villages and along rice fields between the beautiful hills. Overnight stay at the West Street Guesthouse in Yangshuo.

A suggestion for the evening: Impression Liu Sanjie, directed by the famous Chinese film director Zhang Yimou. He will be the leading director of the opening and closing ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The evening performance is a wonderful presentation of local dance and singing.

Return to Guilin in the morning. Visit the Reed Flute Cave (Ludiyan) with its impressing stalagmites and stalactites, and the Elephant Trunk Hill (Xiangbi Shan), Guilin’s landmark. Then fly to Kunming. After the arrival in Kunming, go to the Stone Forest by bus. Overnight stay at a hotel close to the scenic spot.

In the morning, before all the other tourists come, you will go for an extensive walk through the Stone Forest (Shi Lin) in the Lunan County. It is an autonomous area, where the Yi minority group live. The Stone Forest is a special kind of karst formation, which is composed of numerous rocks, valleys of manifold shape and subsurface rivers. After lunch, return to Kunming. Transfer to the hotel.

Fly to Lijiang in the morning. After the registration in the hotel, visit the Old Town of Lijiang-Dayan. It is an ancient town, famous for its well preserved city structure – a harmonious blend of elements from different cultures and an ancient water-supply system of great complexity and ingenuity that still works effectively today. The Old Town is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In the afternoon, you can walk along the Lake of the Black Dragon (Heilongtan), which is not far from the Old Town. In the distance the 5,600 m high snow-covered Jade Dragon Mountain massif towers over the small town dramatically. It is reflected lovely in the water of the lake. In the evening, enjoy the ancient Naxi music, which has its roots in ritual Daoist and Buddhist music of the 13th and 14th century and which was very popular at that time. The orchestra, which consists of musicians that are partly more than 80 years old, presents the broad musical art of the Naxi people.

After breakfast, make a tour to the 5,600 m (18,400 feet) high Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Xueshan), which is located about 15 km north of Lijiang. A cable car brings you up to 4600 m height to an alp beneath the mountain top, which is covered by a glacier. This area is famous for its huge biodiversity. The area, that surrounds the mountain, is a sanctuary for rare animals and plants. Afterwards, go by bus to the Tiger Leaping Gorge. It is situated at the headwater of the Yangtze River, which is called the “Golden Sand (Jinsha) River”. The Tiger Leaping Gorge is besides the Three Gorges, which are located at the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, probably the most famous of the Yangtze Gorges. While the canyon with its steep walls, which slope in 70-90 degrees, is more than 200 m high, the surrounding mountains even tower thousand meters higher. The narrowest section of the gorge is only 30 meters wide. Overnight stay at a guesthouse in Dazu.

Unlike the ordinary travel groups, which make a short trip to here as well, you will wander, aloof from the crowds of travelers, at half level through the whole gorge and enjoy the scenery unhurriedly. Today’s hike lasts inclusive of the break periods about six to eight hours (about 21 km). Overnight stay in the middle of the gorge in a rustic but snuggish guesthouse. Please consider that you need sturdy shoes for the hike.

Today, wander four to six hours (16 km), paused by a short trip to the base of the gorge at its narrowest section, forward till the top of the Tiger Leaping Gorge, where the overland bus is awaiting you. It will bring you to the legendary “Shangri-La Country” to Zhongdian. After nine months of intensive research, at the end of the year 2001, it was proven, that the area around Zhongdian, the capital of the autonomous Tibetan area Degen, is the Shangri-la County of the novel the lost Horizon. It was written by James Hilton in 1933, according to narrations of the well-known botanist and geographer Joseph Rock, who lived here for many years. Finally the area got the official name Shangri-La. Overnight stay at somewhat outside Zhongdian close to the Songzanlin Monastery, which was founded by the fifth Dalai Lama in 1679.

Since the hotel is nearby the Songzanlin Monastery, you have the possibility to enjoy the life in the monastery rather undisturbed by the other tourists early in the morning. The Songzanlin Monastery is the largest Tibetan-Buddhist monastery in the Yunnan province. Built between 1679 and 1681, the present monastery is a true to original imitation of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. Explore the beautiful scenery, of Shangri-la in the afternoon. The ride goes through a breath-taking mountain landscape to the Bitahai-Lake in 3,540 m hight, where you will go for a walk. Back in Zhongdian, you will walk through the city.

Fly back to Kunming in the morning. After the transfer to the hotel, you will visit the outside of Kunming located Western Hills with the Dragon Gate and a series of grottoes temples carved into the cliff and connected by narrow but secured paths. There you can get a wonderful view at the 40 km long Dian Lake and the city Kunming. Afterwards go to the airport by bus and fly to Shanghai. Transfer to the hotel.

In the morning, transfer to the airport and fly back home. (You can spend approx. $7 to go to the airport by the Transrapid).

End of the travel.

B: Breakfast L: Lunch D: Dinner

Price includes:
-- All overnight accommodation in double rooms shared by two adults with breakfast
-- Meals as listed in the itinerary.
-- All transfers and entrance tickets as listed in the itinerary
-- Inland flight tickets including all fees
-- Local English-speaking tour guides

Price does not include:
-- International flight tickets.
-- Visa for China
-- Personal expenditures, tips etc.

Note:
-- Children less than 12 years old can be given discounts.
-- The hotels, trains and flights listed in the itinerary may be changed into the ones of similar category if necessary.
-- The prices do not apply to the Spring Festival, the Labors’Day Holiday (30th April. –7th May.), the National Day Holiday (30th Sep.–7th Oct.), and during the period of the Formula 1 racings in Shanghai (25th Sep.–5th Oct. 2006).
-- If you need more information, please contact us.